RealSimple: Skin-Care Tips for Every Skin Type

If You Have Sensitive Skin...

Almost any new product, especially one that contains fragrance or preservatives provokes a response?usually in the form of redness or stinging.

The Best Regimen

-A daily dose of gentle products is the way to go. -Avoid anything with an added scent, says New York City dermatologist Doris Day, and pass up eye creams, which can be irritating. -Calm itchiness and redness with products that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, like green tea and licorice-root extract. -And don’t skimp on sun protection: Just choose products with gentle UVA-blocking ingredients, like zinc oxide and Mexoryl.

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Your skin is neither too oily nor too dry, and you rarely break out or experience redness. Your pores are small (practically invisible), and though an occasional blemish may surface, it’s usually tied to your period.

The Best Regimen

-Cleanse and moisturize daily with gentle, basic products. Look for those with antioxidants, which fight free-radical damage and stave off the signs of aging. -You might also consider adding retinoids or vitamin C to your routine several times a week to boost collagen production, says Ava Shamban, a dermatologist in Santa Monica. -Finally, don’t forget moisturizer?one with sunscreen for the day and one without SPF at night.

Almost any new product, especially one that contains fragrance or preservatives provokes a response?usually in the form of redness or stinging.

The Best Regimen

-A daily dose of gentle products is the way to go. -Avoid anything with an added scent, says New York City dermatologist Doris Day, and pass up eye creams, which can be irritating. -Calm itchiness and redness with products that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, like green tea and licorice-root extract. -And don’t skimp on sun protection: Just choose products with gentle UVA-blocking ingredients, like zinc oxide and Mexoryl.

As you enter perimenopause and estrogen levels begin to drop, you experience a slowdown in both oil and skin-cell renewal. The result: skin that lacks elasticity and looks dull. You may also start noticing fine lines, brown spots, and rough patches as past sun damage (oh, misguided youth!) manifests itself.

The Best Regimen

-Get your youthful glow back with products that contain antioxidants and retinoids. The former fight the free-radical damage that ages skin, and the latter boost collagen production to keep it firm. -Since your skin is slow to slough off dead cells, dermatologists recommend using a weekly at-home peel to help it along.